Peas-and-Carrots Soup with Dumplings RRR

It's a triple R! RRR=Rachael Ray Recipe!

Ingredients:

- 2 tablespoons EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced ( I chopped, much easier!)
- 1 rib celery, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- salt & pepper
- 2 rounded tablespoons flour
- 32 oz. or 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock ( I used veggie)
- 1 rounded tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 tablespoons tarragon, dill, or parsley ( I used parsley)
- 8 oz. or 2 cups prepared biscuit mix (you'll need milk for this)

( I didn't use all these ingredients; I had no celery or onion and I forgot to add the mustard)

Directions:

- Heat EVOO on med high heat in a soup pot. Add butter, melt. Add veggies, season with salt and pepper, cover pot, cook stirring occasionally until carrots are soft about 7-8 minutes.
- Sprinkle flour, stir. Whisk in stock until thickened.
- Add herbs to batter, combine, form batter into dumplings using 2 spoons. Drop into bubbling soup, cover pot, cook, stir until firm about 8-10 minutes.

Finished product:

(bad photo)

Thoughts:
I loved this soup! It was sooo good and I'm not a huge soup person or a fan of carrots but this was delicious. My version was pretty thick; you can add water if you want it thinner. It was also super quick and easy to make. Husband loved it too! I WILL be making this one again.

"This may be what's for dinner" ;-)

Love,
Jessica

Easter and a Recipe

I have failed to keep up with A Pretty How Town the past week due to "dead week" and finals. I heard someone talking about "dead week" and they said "there is nothing dead about dead week except the way you feel". I agree!! So anyways, the following is a recap of our Easter.

We spent the day at my beautiful Grandmother Mildred's house. We had sandwiches, fruit, potato salad, and yummy desserts. "Don't forget the mixed up beans!" :D They were very good beans Mama!

The boys hid eggs and the girls and Elijah hunted. My poor baby was so sleepy all day long but he was so wonderful. He let everyone pass him around and didn't cry even once.

I made a dessert called Malted Mousse Cake which is a lot like a cheese cake.
Here is the recipe: (www.recipegirl.com)

- 3 cups shortbread cookies (about half the box of keeblers)
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- 5 Tbs butter, melted
- 2 ounces white chocolate
- 1 1/4 cups whipping cream, divided
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 3 Tbs plain malted milk powder (mine was from sonic ;))
- 1/4 tsp salt
- pastel malted-milk candy eggs or malted milk balls

Directions:

- preheat oven to 350 degrees. For crust, in food processor bowl combine cookies and nuts; process to fine crumbs. Add butter, process just until combined. Pat in bottom of 9 inch pie pan. Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown.
- in small saucepan melt white chocolate with 1/4 cup of whipping cream; set aside
- in small microwavable bowl, sprinkle gelatin over milk; let stand until gelatin is softened, about 3 minutes. microwave gelatin mixture for 15 seconds. stir into white chocolate mixture. refrigerate, stirring often, until chocolate-gelatin mixture is chilled and thickens.
- in extra-large mixing bowl beat cream cheese, sugar, malted milk powder, and salt on medium until light and fluffy. gradually add thickened gelatin mixture; beat until just combined. in medium mixing bowl beat remaining 1 cup whipping cream until it thickens. fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture until blended. spoon into cooled crust. refrigerate until firm.
- decorate with malted eggs.

Finished product:

Comments: eh it was ok, not my favorite but people liked it. I probably won't make it again because it is pretty time consuming. I will probably make the same crust for other desserts though!

Thanks for reading!

Love,
Jessica